Chess game recorder



Jan. 6, 1948. A. w. FEY

CHESS GAME RECORDER Filed Dec. 7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 411-111 A M a -11111 I H H W INVENTOR. BY j Jan. 6, 1948. FE 2,434,066

CHES S GAME RECORDER F iled Dec. '7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 [N V EN TOR.

Jan. 6, 1948. A. w. FEY

CHESS GAME RECORDER Filed Dec. 7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHESS GAME RECORDER Arthur W. Fey, Hazleton, Pa.

Application December 7, 1945, Serial No. 633,417

15 Claims. (Cl. 234-15) This invention relates to game-recording devices, and more particularly to automatic recording apparatus associated with a playing board upon which chess, checkers, or similar games may be played, which games utilize marked squares or spaces upon which the game pieces are moved.

Students of the game of chess frequently find it beneficial to replay and analyze games played by experts, and to study games played by themselves, to find fallacies in their play and to improve their technique. To make this possible, it is necessary that a record of each play be kept. This is not only a tedious task when set down by hand but there is always the possibility of error.

The object of the present invention is to provide automatic apparatus to record chess games or the like as they are played to provide an exact record of each play of the game upon its completion.

Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which is controlled by the players, without undue effort on their part, simply by exerting slight pressure upon the game piece to be moved, before and after the move.

A further object of the invention is to provide such apparatus which, when its operation is initiated, goes through its entire cycle of operation and resets itself to be in readiness for another cycle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such apparatus operating upon a system characterized by the employment of certain characters indicative of longitudinal rows on the playing board, and other characters designating transverse rows, whereby various combinations of the two will give a designation for each square upon the board, and the number of type bars necessary is reduced materially.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification, and throughout the several figures of which like numerals refer to identical parts.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game board in which the apparatus is installed;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking at the underside of the playing surface;

Fig. 6 is a view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3 looking downward; I

Fig. '7 is a partial plan View showing some of the solenoids shown in Fig. 2 and the manner in which a movable type carriage coacts therewith; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical circuits controlling the apparatus.

Referring in detail to the drawings, a playing surface I0, suitably marked off for the playing of chess or similar games, forms the top of a rectangular box-like structure II of sufficient depth to house the recording apparatus of the present invention.

The playing surface It is marked off in the usual fashion defining sixty-four squares, forming eight rows longitudinally and eight rows transversely. For recording purposes, the longitudinal rows are designated by letters, and the transverse rows by numbers. For purposes of illustration, these letters and numbers are shown on Fig. 1, the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H designating the longitudinal rows, and the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 designating the transverse rows. Thus every square on the board has its individual designation comprising a letter and a number, as A-l, C6, E-4, etc. By this method it is possible to record the play in a chess game by recordin the square upon which the piece is placed after the move. The game can be replayed from the record by a sequential movement of the game pieces from the squares indicated to the next designated square in the order of their appearance on the recorded sheet.

To bring this about, the playing surface I0 is formed of some flexible material and is provided with a plurality of metallic contact members I2, one affixed to the underside of each of the playing squares. Positioned below the playing surface, spaced therefrom a slight distance, is a rigid horizontal partition I3 supported along its four edges upon strips l4 fixed to the inside walls of the housing II. Partition I3 has a plurality of metallic contacts I5 secured upon its upper face, the contacts I5 being similar and equal in number to the contacts 12 carried by the flexible playing surface. The contacts I5 are so positioned that each one lies directly beneath its companion contact I2. When a player makes a move on the board, a slight pressure on the game piece will close the contacts I2 and I5 beneath the square upon which the piece is resting, closing a circuit, to be described hereinafter, setting the recording apparatus into operation. This will indicate the piece being moved. The player will then move the piece and exert a slight pressure upon the square to which the piece is moved to record the movement of the playing piece.

The closing of contacts I2 and :5 will energize one coil in each of two banks of solenoids l6 and H, the bank It consisting of eight coils I8 representing the numbered rows of squares on the playing board, and the bank I! consisting of eight coils I9 representing the lettered rows. Due to certain electrical connections, the closing of the contacts l2 and I5 of a particular square will cause energization of a coil I8 corresponding to the numbered row in which the square belongs, and energization of a coil I9 corresponding to the lettered row of that particular square.

The energization of a coil will cause a pop-up rod 20, which forms the pole p'iece of the sole"- noid, to rise. It will be noted that the solenoid banks I6 and I! are arranged at an angle. This is to place the solenoid pop-up rods 20 at progressivel'y greater distances from the leading edges of type-carriages 23 and 24.

After the pop-ups rise coils 25 and 26 are energized which draw the type-carriages forward. until they strike the lifted pop-ups 20 in the solenoid banks I6 and I1 respectively. Due to the fact that the carriages are moved by independent coils the two carriages may be moved diiferent distances. Thus if the left-hand coil 18 in bank I6 is energized, which coil is closest to carriage 23, and the left-hand coil I9 of bank I! is energized, which is farthest from carriage 24, carriage 23 will move its shortest distance and carriage 24 will move its greatest distance.

The type-carriages comprise a substantially U-shaped frame 21 (see Fig. 2) to which is secured a bumper strip 28. The carriages are mounted upon rods 29 which are slidable in bearings 30 fixed to a base plate 3| secured within the housing II. The open end of the U-frame is bridged by a, shaft 32 upon which type bars 33 are pivotally supported. The inner ends of the type bars carry the type 34, the eight type bars of carriage 23 bearing the numerals l to 8inclusive, and the eight type bars of carriage 24 bearing the letters A to H inclusive. The positioning of the bars will agree with the positioning of the coils in the solenoid banks. In other words, the type bar on carriage 23 which is closest to the solenoid bank will bear the number of the play ing surface row which controls the left-hand solenoid of bank [6. The next type bar corresponds to the row controlling the next solenoid, etc. The converse is true in respect to the carriage 24. The type bar closest to bank ll bears the letter of the playing board row which controls the right-hand coil of solenoid bank [1, etc. The angular position of the solenoid banks I6 and IT is such that the distance between parallel planes passing through the centers of the coils, the planes being parallel to the type-carriage bumpers, is equal to the distance between centers of adjacent type bars on the type carriages.

As soon as the carriages have moved forward, a paper record strip 35 is drawn from a roll 35 and advanced by mechanism to be described later,

Moving the carriages forward brings the type bars under a type-striker 31. The type-striker is pivotally attached to the lower end of a solenoid pole-piece 38. Movable within the coil 39 and extending beyond the opposite end of the coil to carry a coiled spring 40 which normally holds the pole-piece 38 and striker 31 in raised position. The upper end of the pole-piece 38 is provided contacts in that row are on a common line.

with an enlarged head to serve as an abutment for the spring. Energization of coil 39 moves the striker 3T downward, striking the type bars positioned beneath it, causing an impression of both bars, viz. A--1, E--6, etc. to be made upon the paper strip 35 held in a guide trough 4| below the type bars. The pivotal connection of the striker permits a floating action, ensuring even pressure on both type bars. A carbon strip 42 is placed above the paper to be struck by the type bars to make the impression upon the paper, and the carbon is advanced with the paper.

The paper strip is advanced by means of a coil 43 which has a pole-piece 44, to the outer end of which a resilient member 45 is pivotally connected. The member 45 has a coiled spring 46 attached to its opposite end. Between its ends the member 45 carries a dog 41 for engagement with a ratchet wheel 48 fixed upon the end of a shaft of one of two paper feed-rolls 49. A spring pawl 50 prevents reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel. When coil 43 is energized, the polepiece 44 is drawn in, causing the resilient member 45 to rotate the ratchet wheel 48 by means of the dog 41, thus rotating the feed-rolls 49 and ad vancing the paper strip. Spring 46 returns the parts to a position of rest when the coil is deenergized.

When the above operations are completed, coils 5| and 52 return the carriages to their positions of rest.

Having described the structural elements of the recording device, attention is now directed to Fig. 8 and the electric circuits which connect and control the various elements to cause a step-bystep operation through a complete cycle.

When a game piece is pressed upon a particular square upon the playing surface, a contact 12 is pressed against a contact I5 to close a circuit to a coil I8 in bank I6 and a coil [9 in bank 11. As shown in Fig. 5, the contacts l2 attached to the underside of the playing surface are connected serially in longitudinal rows so that all This gives eight lines, each running to one of the coils I9 in bank l1. Whenever a game 'piece is pressed upon any square in one particular row the same coil I9 is energized. as all squares in that row have the same letter. As shown in Fig. 6, the contacts I5 are connected serially in transverse rows so that all contacts in each transverse row are in a common line. This gives eight lines, each running to one of the coils I8 in bank l5. Whenever any square in one particular transverse row is pressed the same coil I8 is energized as all squares in that row' have the same number. So a letter coil andnumber coil are energized each time a square is pressed. For purposes of simplicity only two coils are shown in Fig. 8 in each of the banks I6 and I1, and only two contacts in each of two longitudinal and two transverse rows are shown.

The circuit set up when pressure is applied to a square, begins at a grounded source of power 53 and follows wire 54 to 'a coil IS in bank I1 (the particular coil I9 depending upon the square pressed on the playing board) through wire 55 to closed contacts l2, I5, wire 56 to a coil I8 in bank I6, wire 51 to a pilot relay 58, the wire 59 to ground. It should be pointed out that all of the coils I8 in bank IBare wired in series, as are the coils I9 in bank IT.

The energization of pilot relay 58 draws up its armature 60 closing contacts BI, 62, closing a circuit to a relay 63. The circuit can be traced from a grounded source of power 64, through wire 65 to the coil of relay 63, wire 66, contacts 62, 6|, and pilot relay armature 69 to ground. Relay 63 will draw up its armature 61 closing contacts 68, 69 to establish a circuit to a relay 19 through grounded power source ll, wire I2, relay coil I0, Wire I3, contacts 69, 89, and relay armature 61 to ground. The energization of relay I9 closes contacts 19, I completing a circuit to another relay 16 through grounded source of power 'I'I, wire I8, relay coil I6, wire I9, contacts I5, I4, and relay armature 89 to ground.

Relay 16, upon energization, will draw up its armature 8I closing contacts 62, 86 to prepare a circuit to be described later. Relays I9 and I6 are both double contact relays having the second contact arms 96 and 85 respectively. The three circuit-controlling relays 63, i9, and i6 are of the well known slow-release type, which relays are characterized by the fact that they will maintain momentarily their armatures in drawn-up position after the coil circuit has been broken. The four relays 59, 63, 79 and I6 are connected to operate sequentially, the energization of the first closing a circuit to the second and so on. If it were not for the slow release feature of relays 63, I9 and I6, the breaking of the circuit to relay 58 would cause instant release of relays 63, I9 and I6. The momentary pause in the release of these relays permits certain operations to take place between the breaking of the circuit to the relay coil and the release of its armature which breaks the circuit to the next relay coil. Such an arrangement is necessary so that the majority of the operations may take place as the relay circuits are being sequentially broken, to ensure the completion of the cycle of operation for the energization of the system is controlled by the pressure applied to the playing piece on the board and will be of varying and indeterminate duration.

When the circuit to relay I9 is made, closing contacts 1d, 75, circuits are set up through the carriage-advancing solenoids 25 and 26 to move the carriages forward until they strike the raised pop-ups 29 of the energized coils I9 and I9. The circuit through solenoid 29 begins at the grounded power supply 89, through coil 25, wire 8! to point 88, wire 89, wire I9, contacts I5, 14, and armature 99 to ground. The circuit to coil 26 is similar comprising grounded power source 99, coil 26, wire 9I to point 86, wires 89, 79, contacts l5, l4, and relay armature 99 to ground. The forward movement of the carriages will place the desired typebars under the type striker.

When pressure upon the playing piece is released, contacts I2 and I5 will separate, breaking the circuit through coils I8 and I9 and the pilot relay 58. The pilot relay armature will drop down separating contacts SI, 62, breaking the circuit to the coil of relay 63. Although the circuit to relay 63 will be broken, the relay, being of the slow release type, will maintain its armature in drawn-up position sufiiciently long to ensure the carriages reaching their limit of travel before breaking the circuit to relay '19 which controls the circuits to solenoids 25 and 26.

When relay 63 releases its armature, contacts 92, 93 close completing a circuit to the paper strip advancing coil 93, which circuit comprises grounded power source 94, coil 43, wire 95, relay contacts 96, 97, wire 98, contacts 96', 92, and relay armature 6? to ground. The slow release action of relay I9 will hold contacts 96, 9! closed sumciently long for the paper advancing operation to be completed.

The subsequent release of relay I9 will break the circuits to solenoids 25 and 26, and the circuit to relay I6. Relay I6 will maintain its armature drawn-up for a short period. The release of relay 19 will cause contacts 99, I99 to close, completing a circuit to type-striker coil 39 causing the striker to strike the type bars positioned thereunder and make an impression on the record strip. This circuit includes grounded power supply I9I, coil 39, wire I92, relay armature 8|, contacts 83, 82, wire I93, contacts I99, 99, relay armature 89 to ground.

Relay I6 will then release, separating contacts 82, 93 breaking the circuit to the type-striker, and closing contacts I94, I95 establishing circuits to the carriage-return relays 5I and 52. The circuit to coil 52 comprises grounded power source I96, spring switch I01, wire I98, coil 52, wires I99, H9, contacts I94, I95, and relay armature to ground. The circuit to coil 5| comprises grounded power source II I, spring switch II2, wire II3, coil 5I, wire II4 to wire IIO where the balance of the circuit is the same as that for coil 52.

As the carriages return to their position of rest, they strike switches I97 and H2 breaking the circuits to the carriage-return coils 52 and 5| respectively. As the carriages are independently operated and the operating circuits independently broken, each carriage will be assured of returning to its full return position.

When the carriages have completed their return movement, a complete cycle of operation has been completed and the circuits are in readiness torepeat the cycle when pressure again is applied to a playing piece upon the board.

Although all of the operation of the device has been described in conjunction with the structure and circuits making up the recorder, it is thought that a brief description of the cycle of operation will set out the various steps so as to be more readily understood. In playing the game, the player will decide which game piece is to be moved and, before moving it from the square upon which it is resting, will press upon the game piece, depressing the flexible playing surface to cause the metallic contacts beneath the playing surface to close, energizing a coil I8 in the bank I6, and a coil I9 in the bank IT. The coil pop-ups will rise, and a pilot relay will be energized, which, in turn, causes three control relays to be energized sequentially. One of the control relays causes the energizati-on of the carriage advancing solenoids which draw the carriages forward until they strike their respective pop-ups, which positions the carriages so that the desired type-bars will be under the type striker. When the pressure is removed from the playing piece upon the board the circuits causing the above operations are broken permitting the various relays to return to positions of rest. Due to'the fact that the control relays are of the slow release type and these relays are serially connected so that each relay controls the circuit to the next the relay circuits will be broken slowly permitting certain operations to take place after the release of each. As the relays release, the paper-strip advancing coil will be actuated to move the paper forward one space. The type striker will then operate, making an impression upon the paper. After the impression is made the carriage return coils will be energized to draw back the carriages. As each carriage reaches its position of rest it will open a switch breaking the circuit to its respective return coil.

7 The apparatus will then be in position to again begin the cycle. When the player has moved the piece to its new osition, the cycle will repeat as pressure is applied to the board. Thus two printed impressions will be made for each move in the game so that indication will be given of the piece moved and the position to which it is moved.

While I have in the above described what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, the precise embodiment shown is for purposes of illustration only and many changes may be made in the structure, all within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus for recordin a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, type bars having characters which are collectively indicative of the position of playing spaces on the board, means operable by pressure being exerted upon said playing surface to select the type bars which together have characters conforming to the position of the space pressed on the playing surface, and means to cause the selected type bars to make an impression upon the record strip.

2. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, a group of type bars having characters indicative of longitudinal positions on said playing surface, a second group of type bars having characters indicative of transverse positions on said playing surface, means operable by pressure being exerted upon said playing surface to select the type bar from each of said grou s indicative of the longitudinal and transverse positions of the space pressed on the playing surface, and means to cause the selected type bars to make an impression upon the record strip.

3. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, type bars having characters indicative of the position of the playing spaces on the board, a type striker over said record strip, and means operable by pressure being exerted upon said playing surface to selectively position under said type striker type bars having characters conforming to the position of the space pressed on said playing surface.

4. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, a group of type bars having characters indicative of longitudinal positions on said playing surface, a second group of type bars having characters indicative of transverse positions on said playing surface, a type striker over said record strip, and means operable by pressure being exerted upon said playing surface to selectively position under said type striker the type bar from each of said groups indicative of the longitudinal and transverse positions of the space pressed on the playing surface.

5. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are tobe moved, a movable type carriage, type bars having characters indicative of the linear position of the playing spaces on said board on said carriage, a type striker over said record strip, and means operable by pressure being exerted on said playing surface to move said type carriage to selectively 8 position under said type striker the type bar having a character conforming to the linear position of the space pressed on said playing surface.

6. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, a pair of type carriages, a group of type bars on one of said carriages having characters indicative of longitudinal positions on said playing surface, a group of type bars on the other of said carriages having characters indicative of transverse positions on said playing surface, a type striker over said record strip, and means operable by pressure being exerted upon said playing surface to move said type carriages to selectively position under said striker the type bar from each of said groups indicative of the longitudinal and transverse positions of the space pressed upon the playing surface.

7. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, a movable type carriage, type bars having characters indicative of the position of the playing spaces on said board on said carriage, a type striker over said record strip, means to move said carriage, and means operable by pressure being exerted upon said playing surface to limit the movement of said carriage to selectively position under said striker the type bar having a character indicative of the position of the space pressed on the playing surface.

8. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, a pair of type carriages, a group of type bars on one of said carriages having characters indicative of longitudinal positions on said playing surface, a group of type bars on the other of said carriages having characters indicative of transverse positions on said playing surface, a type striker over said record strip, means to move said carriages, and means to limit the movement of said carriages to selectively position under said striker a type bar from each of said carriages indicative of the longitudinal and transverse positions of the space pressed on the playing surface.

9. In game recording apparatus as claimed in claim 8, said carriage moving means comprising separate means to each carriage whereby the carriages may be moved independently of one arrother.

10. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, a pair of type carriages, a group of type bars on one of said carriages having characters indicative of longitudinal positions on said playing surface, a group of type bars on the other of said carriages having characters indicative of transverse positions on said playing surface, a type striker over said record strip, means to move said carriages independently of one another, a group of limit stops for each carriage the limit stops in each group being spaced from one another at progressively increasing distances from the position of rest of said carriages, and means operable by pressure being exerted upon said playing surface to cause one limit stop of each group to assume carriage stop position, whereby one type bar of each carriage may be selectively positioned under said type striker, said selected type bars having characters indicative of the longitudinal and transverse positions of the space pressed on the playing surface.

11. In game recording apparatus as claimed in claim 10, the spacing between said limit stops being equal to the spacing between the type bars on said carriages.

12. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a playing surface having spaces marked thereon upon which game pieces are to be moved, type bars having characters indicative of the position of the playing spaces on the board, means to advance said strip, means to cause selected type bars to make an impression upon the strip, means to control the cycle of operation of said apparatus comprising electric circuits including a pilot relay and control relays, said relays connected for sequential energization when a space upon the playing board is pressed, said control relays being of the slow release type to provide delay between the release of one control relay and the next when pressure is removed from said playing space.

13. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a yieldable playing surface having spaces marked thereon in longitudinal and transverse rows and upon which game pieces are to be moved, a rigid backing member spaced below said yieldable playing surface, a plurality of spaced parallel contact strips attached to the underside of said playing surface, each contact strip positioned under a row of spaces on said playing surface, a plurality of spaced parallel contact strips on the upper surface of said rigid backing member, the strips of said last-mentioned plurality being positioned at right angles to said first-mentioned plurality, each strip of said lastmentioned plurality being positioned under a row of spaces on said playing surface, whereby one contact of said first-mentioned plurality and one contact of said second plurality will be brought together by pressure upon any one of the spaces of said playing surface, type bars bearing characters indicative of the rows upon said playing surface and means connected in electrical circuit with said contact strips to selectively position type bars bearing characters indicative of the position of the space pressed in printing position.

14. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a yieldable playing surface having spaces marked thereon in longitudinal and transverse roWs and upon which game pieces are to be moved, a rigid backing member spaced below said yieldable playing surface, a plurality of spaced parallel contact strips attached to the underside of said playing surface, each contact strip positioned under a row of spaces on said playing surface, a plurality of spaced parallel contact strips on the upper surface of said rigid backing member, the strips of said last-mentioned plurality being positioned at right angles to said first-mentioned plurality, each strip of said lastmentioned plurality being positioned under a row of spaces on said playing surface, whereby one contact of said first-mentioned plurality and one contact of said second plurality will be brought together by pressure upon any one of the spaces of said playing surface, a pair of type carriages, a group of type bars on one of said carriages having characters indicative of longitudinal positions on said playing surface, a group of type bars on the other of said carriages having characters indicative of transverse positions on said playing surface, a type striker over said record strip, and means connected in electrical circuit with said contact strips to move said type carriages when pressure is placed upon one of said spaces to move said type carriages to selectively position under said striker the type bar from each of said groups indicative of the longitudinal and transverse position of the space pressed upon the playing surface.

15. In apparatus for recording a game upon a record strip, a yieldable playing surface having spaces marked thereon in longitudinal and transverse rows and upon which game pieces are to be moved, a rigid backing member spaced below said yieldable playing surface, a plurality of spaced parallel contact strips attached to the underside of said playing surface, each contact strip positioned under a row of spaces on said playing surface, a plurality of spaced parallel contact strips on the upper surface of said rigid backing member, the strips of said last-mentioned plurality being positioned at right angles to said first-mentioned plurality, each strip of said lastmentioned plurality being positioned under a row of spaces on said playing surface, whereby one contact of said first-mentioned plurality and one contact of said second plurality will be brought together by pressure upon any one of the spaces of said playing surface, a pair of type carriages, a group of type bars on one of said carriages having characters indicative of longitudinal positions on said playing surface, a group of type bars on the other of said carriages having characters indicative of transverse positions on said playing surface, a type striker over said record strip, means to move said carriage independently of one another, a group of limit stops for each carriage, the limit stops in each group being spaced from one another at progressively increasing dis-- tances from the position of rest of said carriages, and means connected in electrical circuit with said contact strips and operable by pressure being exerted on said playing surface to cause one limit stop of each group to assume carriage stop position, whereby one type bar of each group may be selectively positioned under said type striker, said selective type bars having characters indicative of the longitudinal and transverse position of the space pressed on the playing surface.

ARTHUR W. FEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 810,899 Babu Jan. 30, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 320 Great Britain Jan. 21, 1882 

